A researched body, Performance Monitoring Accountability (PAC) in collaboration with the Nasarawa state ministry of health has advised government at all levels on the burden of unsafe abortion- related maternal deaths and injuries on women.
Nasarawa state director, Public health, Dr. Ibrahim Adamu Alhassan gave the advice in Lafia, at the weekend on Saturday, at a one day seminar on abortion survey dissemination to mitigate the rate of abortion in the state.
He said in Nasarawa state 51.3% of abortions done annually are unsafe, which may result to complications and even death.
Dr. Alhassan said women are often not aware of the legal indications for safe abortion in their state, or the availability of Post Abortion Care (PAC) for treatment of complications, and called for improved availability of information on sex and reproductive health services in the state.
“This can also be achieved through provider training and provision of necessary commodities like manual vacuum aspirator kits and mifepristone and misoprostol”.He said.
In its summary findings, Performance Monitoring Accountability (PAC) revealed that more than six out of 10 abortions in Nigeria are unsafe, involving non recommended methods from non clinical sources, with disadvantaged women most likely to have an unsafe abortion.
” More than half of women (56%) who reported an abortion have experienced a potential complication, with young, uneducated, poor, and rural women most likely to experience negative outcomes that require further treatment”.
“Post Abortion Care (PAC) service availability is poor among primary care facilities, which serve the majority of the population; less than half of these facilities reported not providing any PAC services”.
The convener of the seminar, Mrs.Salome Vincent, who is also the state family planning coordinator, explained that the workshop was aimed st reducing unsafe abortions in Nasarawa state.
She said the state is making effort in ensuring that all facilities are trained on post abortion services in order to meet the needs of women with complications resulted abortion.
